times dig holes in the bank of pond or 

 stream, making the entrance under or 

 near the water. Also, they sometimes 

 build nests in tangled grass or a brush 

 pile. 



A muskrat skin brings to the trapper a 

 smaller return in unit value than any 

 other fur-bearing animal he captures. 

 But he gets more of them, so if market 

 conditions are favorable the total revenue 

 from his catch is likely to be satisfactory. 

 In the manufacture of fur garments, 

 however, the humble muskrat holds an 

 important place. In a fur factory, by the 

 skilful use of tweezers for pulling out 

 the coarse grey hairs, by the use of clip- 

 ping and singeing machines, with the aid 

 of dyes ("made in Germany") of vari- 

 ous colors, his skin is effectually dis- 

 guised and it emerges therefrom not only 

 in larger numbers than the skins of any 

 other four-footed beast, but completely 

 transformed in appearance, and masquer- 

 ading under more different aliases than 



19 



